Versace Spring 2013 Ready-to-Wear Collection

After the explosive success of Versace for H&M and the welcome return to couture form with Atelier Versace, it appears Donatella’s newfound creative impetus has staked fertile ground in the ready-to-wear line, making for a fresh and spirited Versace girl, but one whose inherent carnality is always close at hand. That procrustean clinginess of the iconic Versace dress, that incessant form-hugging, gave way this season to tailoring and a loungy generosity. Still, turns out the Versace girl can have her organic and her rock-n-roll too.

There were dusty desert nude tones matched with liquid black leathers. Lingerie and tailoring made for covetable pieces like a pair of leather gym shorts that ended in panels of desert sand lace intermixed with circular leather petals. This lace appeared everywhere; even the suiting couldn’t be spared (that’s a good thing – the black jacket spliced with lace inserts at the sides looked smashing, and makes one wonder why the hell no one ever thought of that before.) An all-black trouser with black lace inserts on the sides should sell like hot cakes, if for the sole reason that it made lace, which has been used to death for seasons now, look like a refreshing conceit.

Short and flowy cocktail numbers with tie dye Medusa motifs were zesty, full of caprice. It wasn’t dripping in that man-eating sexuality that has defined the house for years. There was a happy resplendence – for a proof positive, Kati Nescher’s silver and gold strand cocktail dress should suffice. Nip-slips are foreign territory for Versace, and there were a few happening at this latest. This new Versace maven would take it all in stride. She’s always been one to wear her hair down, after all. That at least hasn’t changed.